


Look at Me

by imamotherfuckingstarlord



Category: One Piece
Genre: Anime, Drunk Kissing, F/M, Fanfic, Fluff, Luffy Being Luffy, One Piece - Freeform, One Piece Universe, One piece anime, Pining, Pining Vinsmoke Sanji, Reader-Insert, Roronoa Zoro and Vinsmoke Sanji Bickering, Sleeping Together, Slow Burn, Smut, Vinsmoke Sanji-centric, eventual sanji/reader, romantic, sanji - Freeform, sanji/reader - Freeform, stupid pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:02:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27131506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imamotherfuckingstarlord/pseuds/imamotherfuckingstarlord
Summary: After joining the Straw Hats after leaving Fish-Man island, reader is using the time between islands to get to know her new crewmates. Well, except for one. Sanji's fawning and cooing over the opposite sex drives reader crazy - how can she get him to see past her looks? And does she even want him to notice her?
Relationships: Sanji/Reader, Vinsmoke Sanji/Reader
Comments: 15
Kudos: 92





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a slow burn, will include smut.

The ship was lively as ever as you ascended down the steps, having just had a  


conversation with Franky about teaching you some mechanics of the Thousand Sunny. Before that you had asked Zoro to help with your stamina training; to which he said yes but he made no promises to go easy on you. Luffy committed to showing you some neat fishing tricks and Usopp was happy to help you add modifications to your pistols. Next you wanted to talk to Nami about learning to read maps, that was the plan ever since you joined the crew on Fish-Man island. If you were going to be a Straw Hat, you wanted to expand your knowledge and skills. They all had two years to train, you wanted to play catch up; not that you weren’t strong already - you just wanted to be Straw Hat strong,  


Robin was lounging on a chair, reading as you approached her, asking if you could join her. Two hands appeared out of the air and pulled out a chair for you, smiling you sat down and inhaled the smell of sea.  


“This leisurely time between islands is ideal, all I need is beer,” you mused, resting your hands behind your head. “Do you think there’s any alcohol in the kitchen?”  
“‘I’m sure Sanji could help you, should I get him?”  


“No,” you groaned, sitting back up. “I don’t need him fawning over me, I can’t stand it.”  


Robin smiled softly. “He means no harm.”  


Irritated, you drew up and stretched. “Doesn’t matter to me, I’ll just go see what  


our Captain is doing - he promised to teach me some new fishing techniques.”  


She said nothing as she went back to reading, you left her to search for Luffy. He was easy to find, he was with Usopp and Chopper sitting on the railing of the west end of the ship. The trio had fishing poles and were chit chatting, laughing as you approached and asked if you could join.  


Your captain smiled widely, his face innocent and excited as he handed over his pole. It was that very child-like demeanor that drew you in. The two of you fought together at Marineford, later on joining Jinbe on Fish-Man island to help. When the crew came and helped settle things, Luffy asked the pair of you to join. Jinbe agreed but declared he had business to attend to before being able to join; he urged you to. He knew you were looking for a crew to join and after fighting Hody and the New Fish-Man pirates, you knew they were a perfect fit. It was easy saying yes to Luffy and you hadn't regretted it - mostly.  


“Um, Y/N, can I ask you something?”  


Casting the line, you turned to a nervous looking Chopper. “Yes, Doctor?”  


He flustered and giggled, telling you flattery wouldn’t get you anywhere. “Anyway, why do you have your guns on your waist?”  


Looking down, you touched the hoister around your waist. A silver pistol on each hip, safe and sound. “I guess I like having them around at all times.”  


“Like Zoro and his swords,” Chopper explained and you said yes. “Okay, just wondering.”  


Patting the Doctor on his head, you turned your attention back at Luffy. He flailed his arms around as he instructed on the most delicious fish to eat. “Sanji makes great fried octopus!”  


“I bet,” you laughed, shouting as Luffy jumped behind you and attempted to steal back the rod as the line reeled in a catch. “Captain, I got this!”  


“DON’T LOSE THE FOOD!”  


“Dammit, Luffy, let her do it,” Usopp screamed. Luffy ignored him and curled his arm around your waist, hands taking the rod. His chest was pressed against your back as he angled to see over your shoulder, you held on for balance. Laughing, you begged him to be careful.  


“I can’t swim either, Luffy!”  


Chopper and Usopp panicked as Luffy became too rough, eager to catch the food, mouth watering from the mere thought. Your laughter faded into fear, the ocean’s current was strong as you hands gripped the railing of the ship. You shouted for him to stop but before the words could come out of your mouth, the two of you were flying over the edge.  


“THEY’RE GOING TO DIE!”  


Usopp’s shouts echoed in the air as Luffy and you hit the water; it was freezing and you could feel the weakening of your body as you started to sink. Your eyes closed as your arms drifted, spreading out towards nothing in particular just as someone grabbed a hold of you. You struggled against their firm grip on you, and when your head reached the surface, you gasped for air.  


It was Zoro, his arm around your waist as he swam back to the ship. Usopp had thrown down a rope ladder, the swordsman asked if you could climb. You said yes and started climbing, looking down to see Sanji swimming with Luffy on his back. Glad the captain was safe, you hurried up the ladder and jumped over the railing, landing on your hands and knees. A few seconds later, Zoro and the others followed suit; Sanji tossing Luffy on the ground.  


“YOU MORON, YOU NEARLY KILLED Y/N-SWAN!” Sanji chastised the young man, lighting a cigarette as he attempted to squeeze out the excess water from his black suit. Still on the ground, you collapsed on your back and closed your eyes.  


“It’s fine,” you muttered, eyes staring up at the sun. Your lungs ached from the water you had taken in, but other than that, you were fine. Sanji couldn’t disagree more, he berated the captain for putting your life in danger. Your blood boiled as he went on and on, every word used to describe you was based entirely off your looks. He cursed Luffy for even touching you, his eyes bursting as he explained that you were like a blossoming flower; wonderfully delicate.  


“SHE’S TOO BEAUTIFUL TO DROWN, YOU MORON!”  


Fist clenched as you sat up and drew your pistol, aiming it right at Sanji’s left arm. No one noticed, too busy listening to the cook’s speech and when you pulled the trigger, the bullet grazed his forearm. Sanji’s cigarette fell from his mouth as the others went dead silent, Luffy’s coughing abruptly stopped as his eyes widened.  


“You just shot Sanji!”  


The cook’s face fell in shock as you holstered the pistol and stood up; clothes and hair drenched. You were cold but mostly insulted; you had joined the crew weeks ago and you had been dodging Sanji’s ridiculous behavior since then. It made you feel like a piece of meat and oftentimes you found yourself searching for Franky or Zoro’s company. The two men respected you and never commented on your looks but the damn cook had taken it too far.  


“You- you shot,” Sanji exclaimed.  


Rolling your eyes, you walked up to him. “On Fish-Man Island I saw what a fool you were, Sanji. Nearly dying at the sight of mermaids and for what? You claim you are a gentleman yet you’ve done nothing but make me feel like a piece of meat.”  


No one said a word as you took a deep breath, eyes zeroing in on him. “ Luffy asked me to join and I said yes, because I fought with him on Marineford. I fought alongside him and he treated me as an equal. I figured the rest of his crew would do the same, I was right about everyone but you.”  


“Brook did ask you to show him your panties,” Usopp offered and you sighed.  


“True, but he was upfront with his crudeness, Saji masks it under gentlemen hood.”  


Sanij’s face hardened. “You didn’t have to shoot me.”  


“I’ll attend to his wounds,” Chopper offered up but you shook your head.  


“I can heal it.”  


Muttering came over the crowd as Luffy laughed. “Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. She can fix people.”  


“No,” you explained, bringing a hand to Sanji’s forearm. ‘“Not exactly. I ate the HealHeal fruit. I’m able to heal wounds with stipulations.”  


“Which are?”  


You looked at Nami, remembering the pained scream from Luffy when you realized you couldn’t save Ace. It had scattered your soul, he looked so young that day. “I can heal wounds but if someone is near death, I can’t do much. If someone is wounded by me, there is a greater chance of full recovery. “  


Nami grinned. “See, Sanji, you’ll be just fine.”  


Everyone laughed as you turned to your victim, holding your hand against . “It’s just a flesh wound, you’ll feel a little sting.”  


He said nothing as you closed your eyes, whispering _sana, sana, heal_ as warmth spread over the small wound. Sanji’s face tensed as the power of your devil fruit healed him. You quickly let go of his forearm but stared at the man.  


“I know Nami and Robin entertain your disgusting behavior, that’s their choice. They’ve known you long enough, but not me. You would be wise to remember that.”  


The cook stepped back and touched the spot where your bullet grazed him. Zoro laughed and he glared at the man. “What’s so damn funny, Mosshead.”  


“You’re lucky - she could have killed you if she really wanted to. I’ve seen what she could do with her pistols.”  


You held back a smile and turned to Chopper, who looked a little worried. Figuring out what he was thinking, you kneeled in front of him. “Don’t worry, Doctor, I could never take your place. I only can help so much, but you’re the real Doctor here. I’m always happy to assist though.”  


Chopper blushed and told you to stop. “I always wanted an assistant.”  


Amused, you got up and excused yourself. “I need to change out of these clothes.”  


“Hey, sister,” Franky called out as you started to walk away. “Go get changed and meet me down below, I’ll show you the ropes.”  


You grinned, eyeing Sanji, who was staring at his once there wound. “Sounds good.”


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the day was uneventful, you spent most of it with Franky. He showed you the cola engine and his work area; ensuring that he’d make a little space for you. He was determined to make you his apprentice and you were more than up for the task.  
  
“I could always use an extra hand.”  
  
“As long as you can provide cold cola,” you teased and he laughed.  
  
“Definitely.”  
  
He was easy to be around, funny and ridiculous; very opened when you asked about his home island. You listened to him go on about the Franky family and his little sisters, and how he met the Straw Hats. You laughed at the whole stealing his underwear trap and when Sanji called for dinner, you were happy that you were able to bond with him.  
  
The two of you walked to the kitchen, talking about the process of drawing up blueprints. You asked if you could use some paper to sketch out a new pistol design and he offered his assistance. You thanked him and when you made it to the kitchen, he saved you a seat next to him.  
  
Everyone was talkative and you were grateful no one had mentioned the incident from earlier. Sitting beside Franky, you listened as Nami explained that the next island was still a bit away. “I guess we can just relax for a while.”  
  
“Do you think we can start my training soon,” you asked Zoro.  
  
He gulped down a cup of saki and grinned. “I won’t go easy on you.”  
  
Sanji, who had been serving plates, placed one in front of you. Looking up at him, you thanked him and he nodded. “Welcome, if you need more, I can get it for you.”  
  
You don’t say anything, guilt wrecking your appetite. It wasn’t like you wanted to hurt his feelings but you had to stand up for yourself; men like him were playboys and idiots. He didn’t respect you, it was a proven fact. He just thought you were a pretty face, and that was the biggest insult.  
  
Turning back to Zoro, you downed a gulp of ale. “Can we start tomorrow morning?”  
  
“Sure thing.”  
  
“Don’t get drunk tonight, Mosshead,” Sanji warned but the man just huffed, claiming he never gets drunk. “ Shut up and eat.”  
  
You laughed softly and picked up your own cup of alcohol, watching as Sanji made his way behind the stove counter. Drawing your eyes away from him, you nodded to Zoro and raised the glass towards him. “To training.”  
  
He grinned, pouring another round for himself. Clicking your cups together, you took the shot down in a second and felt a warmth spread over your body. At that point everyone was now seated, fully invested in eating and talking, pouring drinks and being rowdy. These were your favorite nights on the Thousand Sunny; rag tag group of misfits. This was the reason why you agreed to join Luffy, the crew he had managed to collect - they were more than a simple pirate crew, they were family.  
  
….  
  
The next morning came earlier and Zoro had kept his word, he wasn’t hungover and was plenty ready to train you. The two of you were up in his crow’s nest, you were sweating and tired, muscles aching as he encouraged you to step forward.  
  
“Don’t be afraid of me,” he urged and you grew angry. “Good, use that anger. Now concentrate.”  
  
You lunged forward, the two of you sparring; your hand to hand combat wasn’t too bad but there was always room for improvement. Not wanting to always rely on your gun slinging skills, you took everything Zoro said seriously.  
  
“Shit,” you grunted as he landed a hard hit on your shoulder. He had been truthful when he said he wasn’t going to go easy on you; you were grateful he was treating you like an equal. His hits were harsh and rapid but eventually your body went numb.  
  
“Try to anticipate my every move,” he said, grabbing your fist when you attempted to throw a punch. His fingers tightened around your knuckles and he nodded. “That’s enough for today, you did good.”  
  
Letting go of your hand, he walked over to the wooden bench and sat down. He didn’t have a single bead of sweat on him as you sat next to him. Your body ached a little but you knew the following morning would come with sores.  
  
“Tomorrow we’ll do some weight training, you need to build a little more muscle.”  
  
“Agreed,” you croaked, gaining a laugh from the swordsman. He respectfully turned away when you pulled up the edge of your tee shirt. “Fuck, you got me good in the stomach, look at the bruise forming.”  
  
Zoro peeked, his face red with shame. “Sorry about that..”  
  
You told him not to apologize. “I’m glad you’re not going easy on me, I can’t stand not being treated like an equal.”  
  
“Well, I don’t feel like getting shot.”  
  
Glaring at him, you held his gaze for a moment before the two of you burst into laughter. Zoro couldn’t contain himself, describing the whole situation to you as if you weren't’ the one that pulled the trigger. “I was hoping you’d kill him.”  
  
“Shut up,” you laughed, punching him on the shoulder. You were sure it hurt you more than him. Sighing, you leaned back into the wall and looked at Zoro. “I have to admit I think I overreacted...it’s just I want him to respect me. I -I’ve spent my life training to be the best gunslinger. I’ve fought against the worst of the worst, I won’t let some little playboy disrespect me.”  
  
“I can respect that.”  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
He said no problem and got up; his training was just beginning for the day. You watched in comfortable silence as he deadlift three times his weight, watching his muscles in action until your body started to become uncomfortable with aches. You excused yourself, taking the ladder down to the dock; each step down brought on more discomfort. You definitely needed more training but lucky for you, you had one of the greatest swordsmen to help with that. Making it down, you walked to the kitchen.  
  
Sanji was at the helm of the counter, chopping up vegetables for lunch. He glanced up and immediately noticed how bent out of shape you looked, rushing to the dinner table to pull out a chair. “Take a seat. Don’t tell me that moron went too hard on you.”  
  
“I’m fine,” you assured him, sitting down slowly. He stepped away and went straight to the freezer, pulling out a handful of ice cubes. You watched as he fetched a thin kitchen towel, using it to wrap the ice. Feeling tensed from the training and being near Sanji, you watched cautiously as he brought over the ice. Half expecting a nosebleed from him, you quickly held out a hand to receive the ice.  
  
“Are you bruised badly?”  
  
Snatching the towel from his hand, you glared at him. “I’m not going to show you.”  
  
“I NEVER SAID I WANTED TO SEE THEM.”  
  
Annoyed at his yelling, you stood up, matching his stance. “KEEP YOUR PERVERSE THOUGHTS AND NOSEBLEEDS TO YOURSELF!”  
  
Sanji’s face narrowed as you stormed out of the kitchen, into the hallway. All he could do from keeping his head from spinning was light a smoke and continue prepping for lunch. That was all that was keeping him from kicking Zoro’s ass.

  



	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little reader backstory! This chapter is a bit longer.

The sun was setting as you laid on the grass, eyes closed and muscles trying to relax. Your body was tired and the bruise on your stomach was still tender, even after a warm bath: Chopped had offered up some pain medication but you declined the offer. This was just day one of Zoro’s training, your body would adjust within the first week. It was getting a bit chilly and your stomach growled with hunger as your eyes opened to Robin standing over you.

“Sanji asked me to give this to you,” she smiled and held out a kitchen towel. “It’s ice.”

You sat up and reached for the towel, feeling ashamed once again for lashing out at the cook. He had been on your mind the whole day after you yelled at him in the kitchen; Sanji wasn’t being disrespectful but it was hard not to think he was. You saw how he was around Robin and Nami, dotting and overly helpful - downright disturbing, in your opinion. That man had more nosebleeds than humanly possible but the others always said it was well meaning. You just couldn’t see it that way when it seemed all he saw was your physical attributes - he wasn’t seeing you as a person and boy, did that tick you off.

“Thanks,” you sighed, lifting up your shirt. The ice felt good and Robin asked if you were okay. “I guess.”

You watched as several hands appeared out of nowhere, forming a chair for her to sit down. She sat down and smiled warmly at you. “Sanji really means no harm, in fact, I think the two of you would be great friends.”

“Friends don’t get nosebleeds over each other,” you pointed out, laying back down on the grass. Your hand kept the towelled ice in position as you closed your eyes again. “Friends don’t see each other as a piece of ass.”

Robin chuckled. “I suppose not, but you should give Sanji a chance, You’re part of the crew now, getting along is essential.”

You peeked at her and glared. “Tell that to Zoro and Sanji.”

She laughed again. “I guess you’re right.”

Before she could press on, Usopp shouted from the top deck. “Dinner is ready!”

Thankful for the announcement, you sat up and glanced up at Robin. “Are you up for some sake?”

….  
Robin wasn’t down for drinking, but Zoro sure was - the two of you shared a bottle of sake with dinner. Everyone was gathered around, you sat between the swordsman and Robin, happy to have warm food and alcohol in your system. Luffy was chowing down as usual and Brook was senerating the group with his violin as Chopper begged the captain to slow down his eating. You laughed at the trio, cheeks warm from the drinking. Zoro was filling your cup up when Robin asked something you could hardly hear over the talking and music.

“Come again?”

Robin casually glanced across the table, where Sanji sat next to Nami. HIs eyes were focused on the navigator as she ignored him for a conversation with Usopp.

“I asked if you’ve ever been in love.”

Zoro pushed over your drink and you took it, giving Robin a curious look. “That’s a random question.”

Nami turned her head away from Usopp, looking at Robin and you. “What’s a random question?”

“She asked if I have ever been in love,” you explained, taking down the sake in one gulp. As you slammed the cup down, you made eye contact with Sanji. He stared at you, cigarette dangling from his lips. Quickly turning away, you gave a small shrug. “I was actually part of an arranged marriage…”

Your answer silenced the room, Brook’s violin abruptly stopped and you laughed, begging Zoro to refill your cup. “I sense a story time is a must.”

“Wait - are you like a princess?”

Luffy’s eyes widened as he stole a piece of meat off Chopper’s plate. 

“My family is a big deal back in my home country,” you confessed, staring down at your plate. It was something you were ashamed of but if you were going to put your trust in these people, they deserved to hear your story. “I was supposed to marry a son of this big shot family, they were from a neighboring country. We were born the same year and as infants it was decided that we’d wed.”

“That sounds awful,” Robin concurred. 

“It was,” you admitted, no longer hungry. Luffy grinned when you gestured for him to take your plate. “In the end it didn’t matter, he ended up running away when we were still children. I was then passed on to another brother but I ran away when I was fifteen.”

“Did your family look for you?”

You looked at Chopper and nodded. “Yeah, they hunted me down. Found me a few times but I kept escaping, eventually they had enough of me and I was disowned. Stripped of my title, I was forbidden from seeing my sisters. I - I had a really hard time for the first few years, but I found my way.”

“Rough break,” Franky whistled and you shrugged, sneaking a glance over to Sanji. His eyes were on you, but his stare wasn’t like before - it was softer, a bit intense but it made you feel odd. Clearing your throat, you grinned at Robin and laughed.

“I guess that really didn’t answer your question, huh? I should have just went with a direct no - I’ve never been in love.”

“Who has time for love,” Zoro snorted and you agreed wholeheartedly; the two of you slammed glasses together and laughed as sake spilled all over your hand. 

“I guess I should take out more sake,” Sanji sighed, getting up from the table. You watched as he moved towards the kitchen counter and you stared shamefully, the heat of drinking made you dizzy as Luffy shouted for your attention. He was going on about your healing ability and how he wanted you to shoot someone.

“I’ll do it,” Zoro declared, getting up from his seat. You panicked and tried to get him to sit back down, but all the sake was getting to you because as you stood up, the room went blurry.

“LUFFY, YOU CAN’T JUST ASK Y/N TO SHOOT ZORO!”

“COME ON, NAMI, SHE CAN HEAL HIM!”

“I SAID NO!”

Luffy cried out as Nami slammed a fist over his head and he quickly apologized to you; you told him it was fine. “I think I drank too much,” you admitted, grabbing a hold of Zoro’s shoulder as he sat back down. He reached up to grab your waist as you started to sway, but someone was already there.

Sanji held you up and grumbled for Zoro to let go. “You’ve done enough, Mosshead. No one can keep up with your drinking, jackass.”

You laughed and it surprised both Sanji and you. “I think I need to lay down. “

“I’ll take you to your room.”

Very aware of Sanji’s arm on your waist, you could only nod and wave goodnight to the rest of the group as he walked you out. The two of you walked into the aquarium area, his arm moving from your waist to around your shoulder, the smell of his burning cigarette in the air. Without thinking, you reached over and took it from his mouth, he stopped in his tracks and watched as you placed it in your mouth.

“You - you smoke?”

Laughing, you straightened up a bit and he slowly removed his arm from you. Trying to hold your balance, you inhaled and exhaled. “It’s very unladylike, so yes, I smoke on occasion.”

Sanji smirked and asked if you could walk on your own. 

“Yeah...I shouldn’t have drank so much.”

“Come on, I’ll help you to your room.”

Giving back his cigarette, the two of you walked side by side down the hall. It was quiet and a little awkward because every few seconds you bumped into him. He would laugh and touch your shoulder, trying to steady you. It took longer than necessary to get to the women’s dorm but at last, you were standing in front of the door. Turning to Sanji, you sighed deeply and thanked him.

“I hope that didn’t hurt you to say,” he joked and you rolled your eyes, but chuckled.

“I’ll admit I haven’t been the nicest to you…”

He took out the smoke, tucking the filter tip in his pocket, and grinned. “You shot me.”

“As if it wasn’t unwarranted,” you argued, poking a finger into his chest. HIs face twitched and his smile faded.

“You’re right,” he said softly, looking down to the ground. “I know I can get….intense. I can’t help it but that’s no excuse. Please, forgive me.”

Lifting your finger from his chest, you stared at him and felt something other than disgusted for the man. Your body was warm and a part of you wanted to blame the copious amounts of sake in your system but it wasn’t that. For the first time, you were seeing Sanji - not the woman crazed neurotic man, but the real him and it caught you off guard how likeable he was. 

“It’s - it’s okay, let's just start over.”

Sanji looked up from the ground, studying your face for a moment before smirking. “It’s not the sake talking, right?”

Sighing, you told him not to push his luck. “I’m starting to like you, don’t ruin it. Thanks for walking me back, I’m going to crash. I’m sure Zoro won’t give me a hangover pass during tomorrow’s training.”

“I can kick his ass for you,” he offered and you laughed, saying goodnight. Turning to the door, you grabbed a hold of the knob but Sanji said your name.   
Looking back at him, you smiled. “Yeah?”

“Your arranged marriage - you never mentioned the neighboring island.”

“Oh,” you chuckled, not thinking much of his inquiry because all you wanted to do was sleep. “It was Germa Kingdom, the Vinsmoke family. Why?”

Sanji lifted a smoke to his mouth and smiled. “Just wondering. Sleep tight, Y/N.”

“Night,” you echoed back, going into the room. 

He watched as you stumbled into the dorm, the door closing behind you as he leaned into the wall. He lit the cigarette and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes with a hard lump in his throat. “Shit.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will be updating weekly!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I recently lost my father and I'm just finally getting back into writing. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

The first thing you noticed when you woke up was not that the room was nice and warm and empty, but that your head was throbbing and throat severely dried.  
  
So, drinking with Zoro was something to avoid, you realized as you sat up to stretch your arms out.  


Robin and Nami were gone from the room, and from the rays of sunshine coming through the small window, you realized it was well past noon. You needed water and possibly some medication for a headache from Chopper. Moving to the edge of the bed, your feet touched the cold floor and quickly retreated back under the warm covers. Deciding it wouldn’t be such a horrible idea to stay in bed a little longer, you laid back down.  


“I know I can get….intense. I can’t help it but that’s no excuse. Please, forgive me.”  


Resting your head on the pillow, you thought of what Sanji had said, he had apologized and for the first time, you had seen his true colors. He was sincere and sweet. Undoubtedly, you felt attracted to him in that moment and it was embarrassing to think about. Closing your eyes, you groaned into the fleece blanket but stopped when a tapping came from the door.  


“Come in,” you called out, uncovering your face to see Sanji’s head peeking into the room. His eyes were soft when they spotted you and he grinned.  


“I figured you’d be a soft lush, I brought food and water.”  


“I’m no lush at all,” you laughed, sitting up properly as he approached the bed. He held out a tray of food and titled his head to the side, cigarette dangling from his lips.  


“Hungry?”  


“Yes, thank you,” you smiled, taking the tray from Sanji. Your body stilled when his fingers grazed yours in the transfer but you just smiled and thanked him for the food. He said no problem and asked if he could join you, pointing to the two cups of tea on the tray.  


“Please do.”  


He hesitated for a moment, head whipping side to side looking for a chair until you gave him permission to sit on the bed. You could tell from his expression he was holding in his usually silliness as he sat at your feet, lifting his cup of tea from the tray.  


“How are you feeling? That idiot swordsman was complaining that you hadn’t gotten up for training.”  


“He went ahead and trained on his own, huh.”  


Sanji rolled his eyes, confirming a yes. “Oh, well. Tomorrow is another day. What’s everyone up to?”  


“Scattered around the ship, I was preparing lunch when I thought I’d come and check on you.”  


His eyes closed for a moment as he sipped the tea, and your throat clenched as you stared at his face. It was true, Sanji was attractive and his edge of coolness greatly helped but there was something soft about him that made your cheeks warm. Ashamed, you quickly focused on the meal in front of you.  


“Rice balls,” you practically squeezed, instantly embarrassed at the giddiness that came out your mouth.  


Sanji’s face lit up and his eyes went crazed for a split second, and before you could tell him to stop, he was bouncing around the room. Swirling like a ballerina, exclaiming in delight, “YOU’RE SO CUTE WHEN YOU’RE HAPPY!”  


You stared at the fumbling fool, waiting for the usual contempt you felt when Sanji did this sort of thing but it never came. Instead, you laughed and waved to him to stop, shouting his name.  
“Sanji-kun, all that spinning is making me sick!”  


This had the man stopping in his tracks, a wide smile on his face. “You’ve never called me Sanji-kun.”  


“Will you just relax and drink your tea,” you pleaded. He did as he was told and sat back down, as if nothing had happened, causing you to laugh. “Anyway, thank you for the rice balls, they’re my favorite.”  


Sanji, fully in control of his compose now, just nodded. “I know.”  


Your heart pounded a bit faster as he urged you to eat and when you took a bit, your eyes closed and you made a noise that might have been mistaken for a moan. Your eyes snapped open to witness pure joy on Sanji’s face along with a coat of blush spread across his cheeks.  


“I’m glad you’re enjoying them, Y/N-san.”  


Your heart raced as you took another bite, eyes never leaving his as crazy thoughts rampaged your mind. Why were you suddenly feeling this way towards the cook? Just the other day, you shot him freely because he simply annoyed you - had he won you over by just being himself? It felt odd and a little uncomfortable, but the pork inside the rice ball melted against your tongue and all thoughts were lost in its deliciousness.  


Sanji sat quietly as ate, alternating between smoking and drinking his tea; it was nice and after a while your headache and sore throat were barely noticeable. Clapping your hands together, you thanked the cook for a wonderful meal.  


“I really needed that, I don’t think I’ll be drinking with Zoro any time soon.”  


“Good,” he answered, getting up from the bed to take the tray off your lap. “He’s a moron, you are too classy for him.”  


“Oh yes,” you laughed, straightening your back up against the headboard. “I am quite high bred after all, how I miss the banquets and fancy dresses.”  


Sanji chuckled and shook his head. “I bet you looked beautiful in those dresses.”  


“Very impractical but I did have a favorite one,” you admitted. He watched as you got up from the bed and walked over to your locker, eyeing you curiously as you rummaged through the lot of clothes. Pulling out a light purple dress, you held it up. “It belonged to my mother, I stole it before I ran away. She had promised it to me once I was married but I took it the night before I ran away.”  
Sanji walked over to you and reached out for the dress, touching the soft fabric with his fingers. His face fell and you asked what was wrong - letting go of the dress, he smiled brightly.  


“I’d like to see you wear this dress one day.”  


Taken aback, words wouldn’t form until Sanji’s eyes found yours and suddenly you felt this surge of warmth transfer all over your body; right down to the toes. Smiling, you shrugged lightly and turned back to the locker, replacing the dress back before closing the door and looking at Sanji.  


“Maybe one day.”


	5. Chapter 5

The dock was crowded with people coming and going, pushing and pulling cargo towards the center of the town. You leaned against the railing of the Sunny, watching eagerly the promise of new findings in the market. You wanted some new books, possibly a few new articles of clothing and mostly, some good food.

“Are you ready, Y/N- san?” 

You smelled the brand of cigarettes Sanji smoked and turned to see him, dressed in a more casual outfit that consisted of black pants and a relaxed button up white shirt. 

Eyeing him, you smiled and shifted the backpack on your shoulder. “Yes, but everyone is taking too long….I think Luffy and Chopper already took off.” 

Sanji smirked as he lit a smoke and shrugged. “Let's go then, Brook and the others can catch up.” 

Hesitating, you realized this would be the two of you would be alone - walking around the market together… 

“Y/N-san?” 

Snapping out of your thoughts, you looked to Sanji - who waited patiently with a smile on his face. Returning the gesture, you nodded and asked him if he had anything he wanted to do in particular. The two of you descended down from the ship and started toward the town, Sanji said he was just looking for ingredients. 

“Other than that, I’m content to follow you around.” 

Not knowing what to say, you pretended that you hadn’t heard what he said and pointed out a food stand. “Let’s see what they have.” 

To your utter delight, as the pair of you approached the stand, the food being sold was different filled rice balls. Holding back a squeal, you clapped your hands and Sanji asked which you wanted to try. 

“I don’t know,” you confessed, biting your lip. 

Sanji stared at you, watching as you analyzed each rice ball. His cheeks turned red and his heart started to dance but it wasn’t the usual dance it did whenever a beautiful woman was nearby. It felt different and when you looked over to him for advice on the rice balls, he nearly gasped at the softness in your eyes. 

“Oh, let me see,” he smiled, bringing a hand to your back so the two of you could get a closer look at the selection. 

You pretended to not feel the warmth of his hand steaming through the material of your blouse. Instead you listened to him banter with his fellow cook, who listed off ingredients to Sanji. Unable to hold back a smile, you noted how serious Sanji looked as he took in all the information. His hand finally moved from your back and he ordered several rice balls, declining when you offered up to pay. 

“It’s my pleasure,” he cooed, paying the man and thanking him gracefully as he took the bag of rice balls, handing them to you. “Let’s find a place to eat.” 

.... 

The two of you ended up in a tavern, ordering saki and ale - opting to sit outside on the patio. It was nice out as you sat across from Sanji, the table was small and tucked into a corner. Sanji passed you a rice ball and watched with contentment as you bit into it, asking if you liked it. 

“It’s very good,” you sighed, reaching over for your mug of ale. “Thank you.” 

“Of course,” he said, lighting up a cigarette. “Can I ask why you like rice balls so much?” 

Laughing, you stated the obvious; that they were good. 

“You sound like Luffy.” 

Again you laughed, but shrugged as you took another bite. Devouring the rest, you washed it down with the saki and inhaled deeply. “The truth is, I wasn’t allowed to eat them as a child. My family was a bit...high strong.” 

Sanji exhaled, smoking swirling in the air. “Rice balls were beneath you.” 

“Exactly,” you snuffed, sticking your nose up in the air. Sanji grinned and shook his head, passing over another rice ball to you. Taking it, you stared down at it and smiled. “I loved our cook, Nejii. He would always sneak me rice balls that he had cooked for the secondary servants. I would stuff my face to my heart’s content until my mother would come looking for me. Oh, it would make her so mad to see her precious daughter eating rice balls with my hands.” 

“My family was like that too. I wasn’t allowed to cook but I found my ways.” 

“And look at you now,” you beamed. “The cook of the future King of the Pirates, but most importantly, the King of Rice Balls.” 

Sanji laughed then, holding his stomach as you held up the pint of ale. “To rice balls!” 

His laughter echoed as he did the same, clinking his glass against yours. “To rice balls!”


	6. Chapter 6

The music was lively as Brook volunteered to join the band playing inside the tavern; somehow, the rest of the crew found Sanji and you. The pair of you stuffed yourselves with too many rice balls and alcohol, so you had opted to hang out in the tavern for a while. Eventually, little by little, the whole crew arrived - not surprisingly, Zoro was the first but even he couldn’t get lost when it came to looking for something to drink.

Luffy had finished off his third plate of food while Nami and Robin showed you what they had purchased around the market. You listened as Sanji sat next to you, everyone crowded at a table and his elbow was up against yours. Your face went warm when he leaned too much on you, but you pretended to not notice and asked Chopper if he find anything good. 

“Plenty! So many herbs and antidotes, I stocked up!” He grinned as he munched on cotton candy, a reminder that he truly was the youngest of your group. Smiling, he asked Sanji if he found any new indigents to cook with but the man scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

“Y/N-san and I didn’t get a chance to look around.”

“No worries,” Nami shrugged. “We should stay for a few days, right, Luffy?”

Everyone looked to the captain, meat in his mouth and eyes widened with delight. Nodding furiously, all he could do was stick a thumbs up and that was settled. Relieved that there was still time to do some shopping, you ordered another round of beer and sake for the table as Brook stepped off the stage to join in.

“You play wonderfully,” you applauded the musician as he sat down, passing him a glass of ale. “I remember Bink’s Sake from when I was a child. Neji, our cook, taught me it. It would make my mother so angry when she heard me humming it.”

Sanji turned to you and grinned, his cheeks a little red. “I can only imagine how adorable you were as a child.”

Rolling your eyes, you nudged him away and looked to Brook. “I’ve never heard it played on the violin, it’s beautiful.”

“Thank you,” he bowed his head. “Would you mind showing me your panties?”

Sanji’s body tensed against yours as you laughed, veins filled with alcohol as you stood up. Zoro’s eyes widened as you reached down for the hem of your dress, Nami screamed for you to stop as Robin giggled. Luffy wasn’t paying attention and Franky quickly covered Chopper's eyes as you lifted up the skirt to reveal modest black panties. 

Brook passed out in an instant and Sanji’s nose started to bleed uncontrollably, both had large bumps on their head from Nami’s fist as she chastised you for egging them on. “Weren’t you complaining about this behavior a few days ago?”

Twitching with laughter, you shrugged. “I had a change of heart, I suppose.”

Zoro laughed then, his cheeks pink as he reached for more sake. “Damn, I was hoping you’d shoot the euro-cook again.”

You sat back down, asking Franky to release Chopper. He seemed oblivious to what had happened but was concerned for Brook and Sanji. 

“They just had a little too much fun,” Robin hummed, a devious smile on her face.

Looking to where Sanji laid beside your chair, you reached down and poked his cheek. “Sanji-kun, if you don’t stop bleeding you’ll die.”

HIs eyes instantly snapped open at the sound of your voice and he grinned. “After what I just saw, I’d die a happy man.”

Smacking him on the chest, you told him to get up. “Come on, for all the bleeding you just did, I owe you another round of drinks.”

“Me too,” Brook croaked from the ground.

Unable to contain the giant smile on your face, you sighed. “Drinks on me!”

….

In the end, Zoro, Sanji, and you were the last to leave the tavern. Zoro and you stood with Sanji’s arms around both your shoulders - he was beyond drunk. He was definitely a much lighter drinker than you. The night was cool as the three of you stepped away from the tavern and you were relieved to see an inn in sight.

“Just help me get him to the inn, I was planning on getting a room anyways. I can get two rooms, if you don’t want to walk back to the ship.”

“And share a room with this idiot, no thanks,” Zoro groaned, taking Sanji’s weight off you. When you pointed out that the two of them shared a room on the ship, he ignored you and started in the opposite direction of the inn. Sighing, you called to him and informed that the inn was in the other direction. 

“Maybe you should just take the second room, Sanji can stay in my room,” you offered. It wasn’t that big of a deal, besides, you were too tired and drunk to care. 

“Fine by me.”

Ten minutes later, Zoro was helping Sanji into the bed you rented for the next few days. He practically threw the man and bid you a goodnight, slamming the door behind him. Sighing, you locked the door and walked over to the bed - Sanji was mumbling in his sleep as he reached for a pillow. 

Ignoring him, you took off your backpack and rummaged for something to wear to bed. Finding a nightgown, you quickly changed, eyes glued to Sanji to make sure he wasn’t peeking but he wasn’t. He was still mumbling but his eyes were perfectly shut. Once you were ready for bed, you started to take Sanji’s shoes off, untying the laces gently and placing both shoes next to the bed. He turned on his back then and for a moment your heart raced. 

Sanji’s face was soft and relaxed, he looked utterly adorable and the feeling was strange that came over you but all you could do was reach down to loosen his tie. You sure it would be uncomfortable to sleep in, so you began to undo it but his hand came over yours - making you jump back.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, eyes fluttering open. It was clear he was still inebriated by the gloss of his eyes but you asked what he was sorry about. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you...if I would have just stayed, maybe you would have been able to be with your sisters.”

His fingers were warm around your wrists as your head spun in confusion - what was he talking about? Why bring up your sisters? Was this part of his chivalrous charm, being sorry for something he couldn’t do anything about?

“You’re just drunk. Go to sleep,” you urged him but he wouldn’t let go. Instead he pulled you down gently, causing you to stumble to the bed. Landing next to him, you sat down. “Sanji…”

“It was me,” he whispered, moving his hand from your wrist to your palm. He held it gently and with his free hand, covered his face in shame. “I’m just glad you ran away when you did. My brother would have been horrible to you, because that’s all my family knows how to be - evil and horrible.”

The room went silent as it finally dawned on you - the night he walked you back to your room, he asked about the family you were promised too and when you told him, you thought nothing of it. 

_It was clear now._

Your heart raced as he released your hand from his and uncovered his face, eyes swollen with tears as he smiled softly up at you. He reached up and touched the side of your face as your head raced. 

“I wouldn't have minded being married to you…”

His hand fell from your face and within seconds he was snoring, leaving you alone in a spinning room. Tears flooded your eyes as got up from the bed and got in on the other side, sliding under the sheets as the sound of Sanji’s snoring filled the room. Your eyes stung as you stared at the man and all you could do was think of all the possibilities, wondering what the following morning would bring.


End file.
